Six Sumter County high school seniors awarded full scholarships for college

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Sumter High School seniors Jada Collins, Alana Garrick, Taeyoung (Aiden) Kim, Erin Lin, Olin Towery, and Crestwood High School senior Reymart Velasco are the 2024 Harmon Scholarship recipients. The scholarship covers the balance of recipients’ college tuition and fees after other aid, on-campus housing, on-campus meal plans, a laptop, and an annual stipend for books and supplies.

Fred Harmon established his scholarship at Central Carolina Community Foundation in 2014. Initially, one student was selected annually as a recipient. However, the number of new awardees tripled last year, with three students receiving the scholarship. This year, the number has doubled to six.

Harmon, co-founder of the South Carolina-based safety technology firm SixAxis, created the scholarship to promote the American Dream. “When I grew up, I was told that America was the land of opportunity. If you got an education, worked hard, and strived to be productive, you could accomplish great things. Now, we’re told that America is no longer the land of opportunity. We need to change that perception,” shared Harmon.

This prestigious scholarship is awarded to students who display extraordinary character, determination, leadership and who exemplify the potential of the American Dream.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and be graduating seniors from a public high school in Sumter County, South Carolina.

Recipients must also attend Clemson University or the University of South Carolina (Columbia) full-time and pursue a degree in accounting, business administration, computer science, education (teaching), engineering, math, or other traditional sciences.

Additionally, applicants must demonstrate financial need to qualify for this scholarship.

About Central Carolina Community Foundation

Central Carolina Community Foundation, the Midlands’ leader in collaborative philanthropy, is a nonprofit organization serving 11 counties in the Midlands of South Carolina by distributing grants and scholarships and linking the resources of donors, nonprofits and area leaders to communities in need. Major initiatives include the online giving challenge Midlands Gives, Connected Communities grants, the One SC Fund and annual scholarships. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.yourfoundation.org or call (803) 254-5601.